Pad for shoulder strap

ABSTRACT

A webbed shoulder pad is for use with a shoulder carrying strap. The pad has opposing ends which, in use, attach to a shoulder strap, and a plurality of tendon bands having opposing ends, and at least two nodes. Each tendon band extends between a pair of nodes, and each tendon band is spaced apart and disconnected from other said tendon bands between said nodes. The tendon bands thereby form a web arrangement which extends between the opposing ends of said pad.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to shoulder straps for bags such as laptopbags which enable such bags to be carried over the shoulder, and moreparticularly to pads for use with such straps to make their use morecomfortable to the user.

2. The Prior Art

Shoulder straps are very commonly provided on bags such as sports bags,hand bags, laptop bags and the like so as to enable the bag to becarried by the user on their shoulder, thereby freeing their hands.Often, such bags can be heavy, and a simply shoulder strap can cut intothe wearer's shoulder, causing discomfort. Also, the material of thetypical strap does not grip very well to typical textile material of atop or coat of the user on which the strap engages. This can lead to thestrap continually slipping off the shoulder, which causes annoyance tothe user.

In order to overcome these problems, it is known to provide a pad on theshoulder strap which engages between the strap and the shoulder of thewearer. The pad has a larger surface area than the strap so as to spreadthe load over a larger area on the shoulder of the wearer and is alsopadded with foam or the like. Both of these elements are aimed atincreasing comfort to the wearer. The surface of the pad which, in use,is directed towards the users shoulder is also commonly coated. with amaterial and/or finished in a manner which increases grip so as try toprevent the problem of the strap slipping off the shoulder of thewearer.

Whilst these provisions are an improvement over the use of a simplestrap, in practice the problems still exist, and there is, therefore, aneed for an improved shoulder pad which overcomes these and otherproblems known with existing shoulder carry straps,

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a webbed shoulderpad for use with a shoulder carrying strap, the pad having a lowerengagement surface which, in use, engages against the shoulder, of auser, an upper surface which, in use, faces away from the shoulder ofthe user, opposing ends which, in use, attach to a shoulder strap, aplurality of tendon bands having opposing ends, and at least two nodes,each tendon band extending between a pair of nodes, each tendon bandbeing spaced apart and disconnected from other said tendon bands betweensaid nodes at least at the lower surface of the pad., whereby saidtendon bands form a web arrangement which extends between the opposingends of said pad.

A shoulder pad in accordance with the invention has the advantage thatthe webbed configuration has a larger number of edges to the pad ascompared with prior art designs. As a result, the lateral grip of thepad is improved which gives improved resistance to slipping down.Furthermore, the distribution of the edges across the pad means that thepad is better able to grip in the natural creases and contours of awears body and clothing, further improving the resistance to slippingdown the shoulder. The webbed design also means that the pad bettermoulds to fit the contours of the wearer's shoulder meaning that thewhole surface of the pad will fully engage against the wearer'sshoulder. This increases comfort as compared with the prior art, evenfor designs where the actual surface area of the lower surface if lessthan that of a conventional solid design, and also further improvesgrip, The openings also act as vents which help to circulate aircreating less sweat.

The pad of the invention may be permanently fastened to a shoulder strapbut is preferably removably attached thereto so as to enable retrofitting to existing straps. To that end, fastening means may be providedon each end for releasably attaching the pad to a strap. Such fasteningmeans may enable attachment between ends of a strap but preferablyenable the pad to be secured to a middle section of an unbroken strap.For example, loops may be provided on each end of the pad through whicha strap is fed, the loops being configured such that the strap extendscross the upper side of the pad which, in use. will face away from thewearer's shoulder.

Preferably, the pad includes padding material such as foam or the liketo further improve comfort to the wearer. The engagement surface which,in use, faces the wearer's shoulder may also be coated with a grippingmaterial and/or be finished in a manner to improve grip, for example byroughening or the like as is known in the art.

In one embodiment, the pad includes just two nodes one at each end ofthe pad, each tendon band extending the full length of pad andconnecting to each tendon. Preferably, however, the pad includes aplurality of nodes distributed between the ends, at least sonic of saidtendon bands extending only partially the length of the pad. In thiscase, the ends of the pad still form starting/ending nodes for the webconfiguration of the bands.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, at least two bands, located onopposing sides of the band, extend the full length of the pad betweenthe opposed. ends.

In some embodiments the tendon bands may be of uniform width and/orshape, but with width of the bands may differ between different bandswithin the web and may also vary along the length of the band itself,either in a regularly or irregular pattern.

The spaces between the tendon bands may be through openings so that eachband is disconnected from the other tendon bands across its entirethickness. However, in an alternative embodiment, the tendon bands maybe joined together across the upper surface of the pad and disconnectedfrom each other, between the nodes, at the engagement surface and for athickness extending therefrom towards the upper surface. In this case,the separation between the bands is formed by recesses in the lowersurface rather than by through openings.

In an alternative aspect of the present invention, there is provided ashoulder pad for use with a shoulder carrying strap, the pad having alower engagement surface which, in use, engages against the shoulder ofa user, an upper surface which, in use, faces away from the shoulder ofthe user, opposing ends which, in use, attach to a shoulder strap, an aplurality of recesses formed in the engagement surface so as to form aplurality of edges on the engagement surface, which edges, in use,engage with the shoulder of a wearer to prevent the pad from slidingdown the shoulder.

In this alternative aspect of the invention, recesses are formed in thelower surface, the edges of which recesses act in the same way as thesides of the tendon bands of the first aspect of the invention toincrease the edge engagement of the pad with the shoulder and hence helpprevent the pad slipping off the shoulder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the invention may be well understood, there will now bedescribed some embodiments thereof, given by way of example, referencebeing made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 a is a plan view of a webbed shoulder pad according to a firstembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1 b is a side view of the pad of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the pad of FIG. 1 connected to a shoulderstrap;

FIG. 3 a is a plan view of a webbed shoulder pad according to a secondembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 b is a plan view of a webbed shoulder pad according to a thirdembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 c is a plan view of a webbed shoulder pad according to a fourthembodiment of the invention; and FIG. 3 d is a plan view of a webbedshoulder pad according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a shoulder pad 1 for use witha shoulder strap of a laptop bag or the like. The pad 1 has opposingends 2, 3 which includes suitable attachment means (not shown) forsecuring the pad 1 to a strap of a bag (not shown) so that the pad 1 canlocate on the shoulder of a user with the bag handing down forcomfortable carrying. Suitable means for such fastening are well know tothe skilled person in the art and will not be described in detail here.They may comprise either systems in which the pad is fastened in line,i.e. in series with the strap so as to form a space in the material ofthe strap, as is the case with the example illustrated, in FIG. 1 a, ormay be fastened in parallel with the strap so as to overlie a portionthereof. In the latter case, it is important that the fastening means beconfigured such that the strap extends across a side of the pad 1 which,in use, faces away from the users shoulder.

A number of bands 4 extend between the ends 2, 3 so as to form the bodyof the pad 1. A plurality of nodes 5 are formed by junctions betweenbands 4, each band 4 extending between a pair of nodes 5. The bandsaccordingly form a web configuration which defines a number of throughopenings 6 in the pad formed by the spaces between neighbouring bands.In this way, the pad provides a large edge engagement length with whichit engages with the contours of a wearers shoulder.

Each band 4 is preferably formed at least partial of a padded materialas to improve comfort, The shoulder engagement surface may also befinished in a manner designed to further increase grip, such as byroughening or the like. Suitable materials and surface finishes are wellknown to the skilled person in the art and will not be described anyfurther. FIG. 2 shows the pad 1 connected in line with a shoulder strap7. As illustrated, the intermediate ends 8, 9 of the strap 7 are rivetedto the ends 2, 3 of the pad, although it will be understood that otherattachments systems may be used either for inline or parallel attachmentof the pad to a strap, including attachment systems to enableretro-fitting of the pad to replace a conventional pad used on anexisting shoulder strap.

FIGS. 3 a to 3 d show alternative embodiments of the invention which arefunctionally the same but which achieve different visual effects whichimprove the aesthetic attraction whilst maintaining the functionaladvantages of the invention. From this, it will be clear that inaddition to offering functional advantages, the pads of the inventionoffer significant scope for aesthetic variation to the design, enablingthe pad to be developed as a fashion accessory.

1-13. (canceled)
 14. A webbed shoulder pad for use with a shouldercarrying strap, the pad having a lower engagement surface which, in use,engages against the shoulder of a user, an upper surface which, in use,faces away from the shoulder of the user, opposing ends which, in use,attach to a shoulder strap, a plurality of tendon bands having opposingends, and at least two nodes, each tendon band extending between a pairof nodes, each tendon band being spaced apart and disconnected fromother said tendon bands between said nodes at least at the lower surfaceof the pad, whereby said tendon bands form a web arrangement whichextends between the opposing ends of said pad.
 15. The webbed shoulderpad according to claim 1, wherein the opposing ends of the pad includefastening means for releasably attaching the pad to a strap.
 16. Thewebbed shoulder pad according to claim 2, wherein the fastening meansare engageable with ends of a strap such that the pad extends betweenends of the strap.
 17. The webbed shoulder pad according to claim 2,wherein the fastening means are configured to enable the pad to besecured to a middle section of an unbroken strap.
 18. The webbedshoulder pad according to claim 4, wherein the fastening means comprisesloops provided on each end of the pad through which a strap is fed, theloops being configured such that the strap extends cross the upper sideof the pad which, in use, will face away from the wearer's shoulder. 19.The webbed shoulder pad according to claim 1, wherein the pad includespadding material such as foam or the like to further improve comfort tothe wearer.
 20. The webbed shoulder pad according to claim 1, whereinsaid engagement surface is coated with a gripping material and/or isfinished in a manner to improve grip.
 21. The webbed shoulder padaccording to claim 1, wherein the pad includes just two nodes—one ateach end of the pad, each tendon band extending the full length of padand connecting to each tendon.
 22. The webbed shoulder pad according toclaim 1, wherein the pad includes a plurality of nodes distributedbetween the ends, at least some of said tendon bands extending alongonly part of the length of the pad.
 23. The webbed shoulder padaccording to claim 9, wherein at least two bands, located on opposingsides of the band, extend the full length of the pad between the opposedends.
 24. The webbed shoulder pad according to claim 1, wherein thetendon bands are of uniform width and/or shape, and wherein the width ofthe bands differ between different bands within the web and/or varyalong the length of the band itself, either in a regular or irregularpattern.
 25. The webbed shoulder pad according to claim 1, wherein eachtendon band is disconnected from said other tendon bands between saidnodes across the whole thickness of the pad.
 26. The webbed shoulder padaccording to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the pad is continuousacross its whole area such that the tendon bands are joined together atthe upper surface but disconnected at the engagement surface between thenodes.